Correction: An incorrect group was named in an earlier version of this story as a possible focus of a state investigation.

State officials are asking Oregon voters to be wary of widespread automated calls questioning their registration status.

The
secretary of state's office announced Friday that it is investigating
several complaints from residents who said they received calls claiming
they will not receive a ballot for the November elections because they
are listed as inactive. The call, which does not say whom its from, urges them to contact a county
election office or visit the state Elections Division website to be
listed as an active voter and have a chance to "fix Oregon's broken
economy."

Complaints have been received from voters in 35 of the
state's 36 counties, including Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington and
Marion counties, said agency spokeswoman Andrea Cantu-Schomus. The only
one with no reported complaints was Tillamook County.

She said
the state is not making the automated calls. The secretary of state's
office is trying to tally the number of homes that have received calls.

A
registered Oregon voter can be listed as inactive if a ballot is
returned because of an outdated mailing address or if a vote has not been
cast in five years. Voters can check their status by visiting the
Elections Division site at www.oregonvotes.gov or calling a county
election office, Cantu-Schomus said.

"Our county clerks have been overwhelmed with calls," she said. "We're still not sure what the motive is."

She
said officials have tentatively linked the robocalls to the Oregon
Small Business Association, but an investigation is continuing.

Rick Crone of
Salem said he was confused when he heard the robocall on his answering
machine Tuesday. He was confident that he was an active voter and was
reassured by the Marion County election office.

"I'm sure there
are lots of people like me who are sure they aren't listed as inactive
but feel the need to call just to double-check," Crone said. "Seems like
an odd ploy to flood county office phone lines to me."

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